Terrible Confessions
by Zeal
Summary: What are the consequences of jealousy, regret, and anger? Duo knows the results better than anyone and it's Relena who pays the price...
1. chapter 1

**Title :** Terrible Confessions  
**Series :** Gundam Wing  
**Rating :** R  
**Author :** Zeal-chan  
**Warnings :** Relena Bashing, TWT, possible shounen ai in the future (very little)   
**Genre :** Suspense  
**Pairings :** R+1, ???

**Note :** This has little or no connection with the plotline of the actual series. It maintains the same charactersbut that's about it. ^_^; Gundam Wing doesn't belong to me (that's a disclaimer.)

* * *

Chapter One

Duo gazed with deep intensity at the clock, posted to the wall, tope-colored to his disgust. The atmosphere was far too bland for imagination. On either side, his peers were writing, effortlessly it seemed-the essay would be the highlight of his grade. With such irony resting on his shoulders, he could hardly contain himself. Uneasily, he swallowed once. Twice. Then there was nothing left to deposit through his parched throat. It wasn't difficult for most students. The topic was straightforward, addressed such that most regular human beings could elaborate without trouble.

ESSAY TOPIC: What is the consequence of jealousy, regret, and anger? Relate to experience.

Philosophy was a fairly easy class. It was interesting as well, improving a sort of intellectual wit Duo seemed to acquire. It only came forth at most spontaneous times, giving him the demeanor of a wise-ass, nothing more. Yet, he had another terrible trait that constantly seemed to ruin his life. He was realizing it once again, in this sort of situation. Duo could not lie. 

Thus, he broke out into a cold sweat, watching the time tick by and he debated on what to write on the virtually blank sheet of notebook paper. (His heading on the paper was all he lacked from a bare manuscript.) The more he regret his actions, the more they consumed his mind; ached to be revealed. Perhaps this was his chance. He could confess. Trowa may never forgive him. But, he simply couldn't make something up. And his grade depended on this

Suddenly, with little acknowledgement, he began to write. 

---

Worse than any hypothetical emotion is that of jealousy. It's abstract by itself. Just a word. However, it may be the backbone of all hate, revenge, and most definitely has dreadful consequences. 

Three years ago, a few friends of mine and I were playing cards in a restaurant. In high school, the impressive thing to do was hang out at this little coffee shop. It was the central rendezvou point for all sorts of cliques. We were joking-a tad roughly-about the one who was absent from the scene. Heero Yuy was my best friend, always clung to by the royal annoyance herself, Relena Peacecraft. We felt incredibly bad for him. So, it came up. Delirious or not, we made the decision right there. We were going to eliminate Relena from Heero's life all together

--

Relena glanced, grinning, to the porch of the beach house from the den. The house was spotless, a small but cozy little shack which would soon be consumed by five high school guys and herself. It didn't matter to her. She just wanted to see Heero. She would do anything to be within his reach for this month of summer vacation, before she was escorted back to the private school she had been enrolled to, secondary to the boring walls secluded for her in the Sanq Kingdom. It was a dreadful thing, being away from all her friends. They pressed that it was what her father would've wanted for her, that public schools simply weren't good enough for her highness. She knew the only way to lure him in was by taking the entire crew of Gundam pilots. 

When the truck pulled up into the gravel drive, she rushed to the door to greet them. Clad in a yellow sundress, she wanted to look exquisite. Nothing could draw his attention away from her. But, when the three boys stepped from the car, grumbling and glaring, the only greeting she got was passive and disinterested. Duo was the worst, lips pinched together so tight they were hardly visible on his face, which was as red as a tomato. Trowa was quiet, soft-spoken as always, but there was a hollow look in his eyes and Quatre was on the brim of tears. Two people were missing from the scene: Wufei and her beloved Heero. Her radiant smile faded. 

Where is he? she demanded to Duo as he shuffled a large suitcase through the doorway. He grunted, unhappily, but didn't stop.   
He broke his leg, Quatre stated, softly, And tried to pop it back into place. It was pretty bad. He didn't want to get medical attention because it's so far away out here, but it was so mangled, we didn't want him to lose the leg entirely.

He wouldn't lose the leg, Q! Duo yelled from inside the house. 

Relena gave Quatre a look of horror, then stomped inside the house. The other two followed with luggage. She crossed her arms and sat worriedly on the couch; a sort of stiff disposition that often annoyed Duo and reminded him of the typical princess she was. 

Don't do that, he growled, curling her legs in to make room for him. There were three other chairs in the room, but he indulged in taking away from her share. 

Do what? she inquired, eyes clouding with tears. 

THAT. I HATE that. He'll be back by tomorrow, and even if he gets his LEG amputated, he'll be fine. And you know it. You just like to make a worse deal of it than- he ranted, abruptly cut off. 

That's not true. I worry about him. He needs that leg to be a Gundam pilot. She curled into fetal position, long dirty blonde hair draped over the side of the couch. Everything was dramatic for her. 

Duo sighed, glancing at Trowa. He nodded. 

We were in the airport, Relena. Duo pushed Heero onto the baggage claim conveyor belt and hestopped from hitting it with his leg. The metal scissored onto his pants and basically tore into it, Quatre explained. 

I didn't push him on purpose! It was an accident. Just an accident.

Relena covered her mouth as if she had swallowed a large unidentified flying insect. 

Trowa said, That shouldn't have broken his leg. It was the fact that after it had been cut up, he still walked on it. A lot. And, it had already been sprained because of the odd position it was in while he was caught in the belt.

Duo didn't want Heero to go to a hospital. Mostly because he knew it was his fault and he thought maybe he wouldn't be blamed if the wound could be ignored or aided with a bag of ice. Frankly, Heero wouldn't last on that leg. His conscious told him so. Inwardly, he knew that even if he were to blame, serious medical attention would be the best thing. But, he had seen Heero pull amazing stunts. He saw him set his leg once, and figured it would work in this situation all the same. It didn't. It dawned on him that he had done a terrible thing. A friendly push.

--

Around evening, Relena pushed that dinner would be eaten at the lobster house, a secluded restaurant hanging from the shore. It was miles away from the beach house, and most likely the most expensive place she could possibly choose. Dress tasteful, she ordered the boys. Duo couldn't be more aggravated by her. Like siblings, they bickered for hours at a time. Worst, it seemed she followed him. She was behind the shower curtain now, a paranoid sense to he who was taking the shower, and she was primping. He could hear her, humming, every little thing she did bothered him. He squirted a handful of shampoo into an empty hand and plopped it on the mass of deep brown hair. 

Stop singing, he pleaded, loudly. 

she said, If you took a quicker shower, you wouldn't have to listen. Outside the shower, she was propped on a stool, touching up makeup and curling hair. 

There's another bathroom here. Downstairs. Connected to YOUR ROOM. Why do you insist on getting in my way? He closed his eyes and submerged his head under the faucet. 

You have an electrical outlet here. I have to curl my hair, was her reason. 

Duo rolled his eyes, snatching a small towel to dry his hair with from outside the shower. He switched the water to the bath faucet, stood back, and turned it to its steamiest temperatures. 

It won't work. The curl will hold. I know all your little tricks, and my defense is hairspray.

You'll have to have a more powerful defense than that with me.

--

They're at it again, Quatre stated, somewhat concerned. It was beginning to drive the entire house insane. The only neutralizer would be Heero. Or would it? Quatre buttoned up a shirt and collapsed onto his designated bed, scrambling the sheets. worried. I've been thinking. A lot. About a few weeks ago.

What happened a few weeks ago? Trowa asked, tying shoes, combing hair. He avoided Quatre's eyes. 

Nothing, really. He became silent after that, awkwardly. And then, minutes later, he spoke again, But if you remember, I want to talk to you about it.

Trowa shook his head and left the room. 

--

After dinner, Duo refused to ride back home, insisting that he wanted to walk. Trowa followed, leaving only Quatre to accompany Relena in the vehicle. Duo carried his shoes, burrowing his toes into the sand, letting the tide roll in and soak the bottoms of his pants. Quatre remembers that conversation, Duo said, And he's starting to make the connection.

You could tell? Trowa didn't look that surprised. Quatre's actions were becoming obvious. He was so nervous around Relena that he was having a hard time agreeing to take her home. He knows at the edge of his mind, but he's too scared to say anything. He doesn't want to be drawn in because he'd be playing both sides.

I'm not worried about him. Unless he sees the crime being committed, he won't say anything. Otherwise, I think he'll have a hard time keeping it a secret.

--

The darkness that consumed the beach house that night was so powerful that it seemed like the moon was nonexistent. Duo strained to light a candle; lighting matches before the wind flickered and the flame brushed his fingers painfully before disappearing. By the third try, he absent-mindedly scorned Relena for choosing a beach house with almost no electricity and resorted to groping his way through the vacant darkness down the stairway. He felt around, digging his heels into the wooden floors on each individual step to secure his balance. He had done this before. 

Trowa slept downstairs, opting that the couch was the necessary bed of his choice. There weren't enough beds in the house to fit all six people, but if Heero had a mauled leg, Trowa assumed he'd want a bed of his own, preferably downstairs and close to someone who could be at his side in moments. Duo crept towards the couch and nudged at the ball of blanket Trowa occupied. He mumbled something in French, oddly enough, and blinked to consciousness. 

whispered the brunette boy with circles under his eyes. They weren't visible in the pitch-black darkness, but neither was Duo. He had to make sure it was his accomplice and not Wufei and Heero returning from the hospital. After all, it had been four days now, and there was still no sign of them. 

It's me. Duo. He was putting on gloves; the rubber kind you blew up as a kid and found it so hilarious that you could make a balloon of a medical glove. They snapped as they hit his wrist. 

Alright. I'm up. Is Quatre asleep? He yawned, broadly, and stretched his legs out. Maybe he would've taken the situation more seriously if it hadn't been for the inability to adjust his eyes to the appalling setting that he and Duo were slowly creating. 

Either asleep or in a coma, Duo replied. He was rooming with Quatre, so it was obvious to him that the blonde had submerged into the deepest sleep possible. He didn't snore. He curled into a small ball and buried his face into his pillow. Duo figured the pillow would muffle any ruckus that escaped the scene. To be honest, he couldn't believe Trowa was agreeing to this. It was perfect to his plan. One person could not complete a successful murder, he thought, if he wanted someone to blame in the end. He couldn't blame Trowa at any ordinary time, but if it came down to the life or death situation, he had a backup. It intimidated him a bit that Trowa could be thinking the same thing on the other side, but he continuously told himself his intentions dealt with a grudge he had against Relena something he perhaps never told the others. It was nothing cold-blooded, whereas Duo

Trowa slid on the surgical gloves as well and glanced uneasily about the beach house. 

Don't worry. We'll never get caught. Still, both were cautious as ever as they blended in with the darkest of shadows bleeding into Relena's doorway. 

--

Heero felt the numbness subside in his leg, yet felt drowsy all over. That had been expected. He hadn't lost the leg but a number of small bones in his ankle had shattered. He wasn't expected to walk well on that leg ever again. Usually he could remain indifferent about these things but instead he was furious. Furious at Duo for letting him fall on the conveyor belt. Secretly, he hadn't thought Duo would actually do it. The threat was done with a smile, as boy seemed to think life was a large joke. He wasn't as transparent as Heero always thought Duo was. He was deceptive, lying, cruel. Nothing like the Duo he used to know. He promised himself not to get the others involved, knowing that his aim was harmful and that blackmail was currently an issue. No matter how much Wufei pried to know what was upsetting him, he kept quiet. Staring at the white walls. Grave as ever. 

I wonder how Relena is putting up with them. The apathy he expressed for that girl wasn't entirely truthful. He couldn't hurt her, nor could he let someone else hurt her. When he had first met her, leech-like as she was, he wouldn't have cared if she were killed in the war. At the time, she was just another civilian. But now she had warmed up to him a bit. Indeed, she cared far too much for him. And, maybe it was sympathy. He didn't know whywhy she mattered at all. She was an irritation, always begging for attention, and he could brush her off. It was an act. He feigned the careless emotion; how he ignored her. It should always remain that way. 

Wufei stepped into the hospital room, We'll leave tomorrow morning for the beach house.

--

Trowa became hesitant and shaky as they approached Relena, tossing and turning in the sheets of the bed as if having a nightmare. Soon, it will be a nightmare. You'll think it's all a dream, won't you Relena? A pink sundress was swathed along a wicker chair in the corner of her room. She was always wearing those. Pale, eerie moonlight even hang through the window, though Trowa was sure every bit of it was hidden when standing outside her room. Fit for a princess. He grabbed her ankles, holding her down, carefully. He didn't want her to wake up yet. 

Duo stared, waiting for approval, and grabbed a pillow from a nearby chair, which he immediately smothered her with. A stifled scream, a yanking of sheets, and kicking feet. Duo dropped the pillow and wrapped his fingers around her neck, meeting her eyes with his own bitter, violet eyes. She gasped, breathlessly, squinting in a state of half-asleep. 

Trowa, across the room, watched in unexpected agony. He simply put little thought into this. An inner rage towards Relena caused him to forget that she had made a permanent imprint in his soul and she could not easily be erased. He turned away, though, feeling no need to stop Duo. Soon she'd choke, suffocate, and dwindle away to the lifeless body he suddenly could picture with diminutive imagination.   
Relena did fight back. Her eyes grew large, adjusting to room's lighting, and she couldn't see the killer right away. Only Trowa. Trowa. She couldn't speak. She wanted his attention. He'd help her. Couldn't he see her? Frantic, she craned as far as she could downward and sunk her teeth into the assailant's hands. 

Duo yelled, a variety of obscenities, and recoiled. He glanced at his hands, bubbling fresh, crimson blood. he cursed, knowing his plans were all but ruined. The bite had obvious pierced the flesh, instant evidence, not to mention she was runningrunning out the door.

Trowa watched Relena pause at him, touch his cheek in realization that he was realand shook her head. He wouldn't help her. He reached for her, recklessly, but her arm slid out of his open hand before he could recognize and act. 

--

Relena tripped twice on the stairs, half-crawling. She had gotten some of the blood on her hands from wiping it off of her lips, and was so feverish she could only hear the rapid beating of her heart and her own, irregular breathing. She would awaken Quatre, hoping he hadn't turned on her as well. Oh, no, you didn't think of that. What if he's waiting for you up here? He wouldn't do that, would he? She halted at the top of the stairway and debated whether or not informing Quatre would be the best thing. She couldn't go back down. She was too frightened to look behind her. 

Hastily, she fluttered into Quatre's room, started to pat him on the shoulderand decided against it. She didn't want to know, if the case was so, that every one of them had become this terrible enemy. Instead, she dug her nails into the wooden frame of the window, trying to pry it upward. It didn't move easily, but she eventually got enough of it open to squeeze through. The porch was about ten feet away, maybe a little more but she could only rely on the optical illusions. She sobbed, dangling from the window. Duo appeared at the top moments later with a knife.

she whispered, lip trembling in utter panic, Please don't kill me. She strained to keep her grip. He looked like a phantom in the window, Trowa next to him with eyes full of sorrow, which she would later scorn. Why are you doing this to me? Right before her fingers peeled away, Duo sliced into her arm, letting the knife run across her hands and fingers. Her knuckles were chalk white from the edgy grip. Then, she fell. Her alarm lasted for minutes painfully endured like hoursthe glass shattered on top of her. She couldn't scream, she felt as if she were drowning in a freezing abyss. As she hit the porch covering, she closed her eyes, sure she wouldn't get up. 

--

we did it, Trowa mumbled, staring at the still body of Relena on the patio covering. He had participated, as little as it was. He held her down. He watched her almost get suffocated. And he searched through the kitchen drawers for a knife to avoid getting blood all over them from Duo' hands, which were now wrapped with the sheets from Relena's bed. 

We have to get rid of the body. 

Trowa nodded, eyes now fixed on the floor. It was the default location for a stare. It didn't get him in trouble or make him feel guilty. But now he felt dirty. Duo looked nothing like his cheery self. In fact, he hadn't looked the same since he accidentally pushed Heero at the airport. He didn't know Duo's reasons for killing Relena only his own. It made it easier to just do it, without thinking, running away from his regrets. 

The silence was broken by a small, attentive voice; What's going on? The two brunettes' spun around to see Quatre in his pajamas. Duo jumped, reflexively hiding the knife behind his back. He stepped towards the window before they could stop him, but the body was gone. 

I had this nightmare. Neither of you could sleep? he asked, his features a void that dismissed all that was out of place.

Duo responded, slowly, Relena is missing.

To be continued  



	2. chapter 2

**Title** : Terrible Confessions  
**Series** : Gundam Wing  
**Rating** : R  
**Author** : Zeal-chan  
**Warnings** : Relena Bashing, slightly bastardized Duo, TWT, possible shounen ai in the future  
**Genre** : Suspense  
**Pairings** : R+1, ???

**Note** : I've definitely ruffled the feathers of numerous people that read this, often because they can't take the concept of their sweet and lovable Duo in acts of immoral, malevolent violence. I'm not going to let that stop me from writing. Often, it's more than you perceive. You read a story however you want, ne? I love your reviews, though. They inspire me! Keep them coming, onegai.

* * *

Chapter Two

Duo formed a search party, ordering the three of them to split up. Knowing that it would be a disaster if Quatre found her, he had to assign him an area he thought would be unlikely for Relena to travel. He sent him towards the West Bay, darkened at night, which would only lead her towards further wilderness and rough shorelines if she had so little sense that she would actually follow it. _Who knows with that woman?_ Then, he told Trowa to search the East shore and took the gravel road for himself. 

What worried him was the knowledge that, in hysteria, she wouldn't think at all about the smart path taken. He was also getting the dubious idea that, if Trowa found her, he'd lose the will to kill her. The thoughts, surfacing to mere fragments, drifted and circulated through his mind as he pursued the trail. His feet were beginning to feel sore, possibly cut open by the small, jagged rocks, but it was nothing compared to the blistering pain in his hand. Swaddled in bloodstained cloth, he held the kitchen knife with a lethal, rigid grip. _How far can a wounded princess go? She must be limping from the fall, bleeding from the arms, and heaven forbid, terrified._

--

Relena was shaking, vividly noticeable in her hands. She tried not to look at them. Anxiety and uncontrollable tears made her somnolent, but she strained to continue towards an unknown destination. She was lost. The area she had stopped to rest in was no longer part of the beach, but a cliff overlooking a darkened point. The drop must've been hundreds of feet, but her eyes were blurry and unfocused. And, the sick taste in her mouth wouldn't go away. She attempted to clear her mind of ludicrous suspicions and investigated a real reason that Duo had so ruthlessly tried to murder her. 

_You've always had something against me, Duo. Wasn't it just a joke?_ It wasn't funny anymore. She whined, leaning over towards the cliff. She wouldn't have reached anybody for hours if she had started running down the road or beach when she first climbed off the roof. Now, she was sure she wouldn't make it that far anyway. Suddenly, she saw a moving silhouette, a blonde-haired figure below. _Quatre..._ She gasped, trying to scream. He was so far away; she had to yell to catch his attention. "Q-" she stopped. It was a wheezing whisper. 

"Quatre!" A little louder, but he looked as if his thoughts were consumed by something else. _What if he is trying to kill me as well? Remember, you had that same thought when you were in his room._ She didn't care anymore. She wanted to be recognized, and if this was the only alternative, she had to believe he would never betray her. With the little dignity that she had left, she cleared her throat. She screamed, "QUATRE!" 

A hand flew over her mouth, a knife held to her throat. She was pulled to the dirt, below the boulders. She recognized the bandaged hand as Duo's, but now she couldn't bite him. Her problems wouldn't be solved that easily. She understood now, as he dove to the ground to avoid catching Quatre's awareness. She trembled, her heavy breathing returning with horrific velocity. Duo was shaking as well. 

"Don't make a sound," he commanded, in her ear. 

She wanted to be anywhere but here. Even if Trowa was against her, she thought she could possibly persuade him into empathy. _Why? Why would Trowa let this happen?_ Then it hit her, finally. 

Duo withdrew, glancing over the rocks to find that Quatre had advanced towards Trowa on the other side of the beach. It would take him half an hour to go and return, and it'd be too late by then. 

"I know why you're trying to kill me," she pressed, angst-ridden. Her back was still towards him. 

"Shut up." His voice quivered. _She won't be able to reveal. She doesn't know what she's talking about._

"Don't. I won't tell." She sounded sincere. 

Duo became intimidatingly silent, his arms still around her, one across her chest and the other level with her neck where she felt the cool, slick blade of the knife pressed against it. He knew from past experience how to hold it evenly, not too tight as to cut the flesh, but not too loose as to give her confidence in escaping.

She shifted her feet a bit, cramped by squatting in the dirt so low to the ground, and whispered again, "I won't tell anyone..."

Duo leaned forward, withdrew his free hand and swept past her shoulder, twirling his fingers gently in her soft, blonde hair; sending tingles down her spine. The curl had fallen. She wasn't sure what to make of this. It only made her considerably more nervous. 

"Are you threatening me, your majesty? Blackmailing me with something you know and possibly have evidence of?" he asked, "I don't think that's something you'd want to push right now."

"Not-not at all," she stuttered, attempting to swallow her heart back down through her throat. His embrace was awkward now. She didn't understand what he was doing. 

"It won't be a problem once I get you out of my way." He pressed the knife dangerously closer against her throat as she tensed up and held back a scream...

-- 

Heero awoke with a start, not for the first time tonight. The lights were off. His room was abandoned. Covered in cold sweat, he had to get up and move around. _It's the paranoia that you're paralyzed, unlikely as it is._ He maneuvered his leg off the traction and onto the cool, tile floor. Standing was a difficult task, but he gained leverage from the desk and walls. 

The hallway was blinding, fluorescent lighting strung down the ceiling. Judging by the silence, it must've been three to four AM. _Why are you so antsy?_

"Heero?" 

The boy spun, taken aback, to face Wufei. He was still dressed, unhealthy dim circles beneath his eyes. Heero wondered if he had gotten any sleep at all. "I want to leave," he said, which didn't help the fact that Wufei hadn't gotten any sleep...he'd have to drive. 

"Now?" Wufei gave him a 'don't-be-illogical' look. 

"I have a feeling." 

"We won't get there till morning either way," Wufei explained, hesitant. It dawned on him that Heero was apprehensive about something. It was unusual for him. Heero simply wasn't as humane as most people, hiding his emotions behind a mask that was as enlightening as a blank canvas. But he wore his feelings on his face tonight, and Wufei felt this must've been essential. "Fine. We'll go discharge you at the front desk."

-- 

When Quatre reached Trowa, he had fallen into a pale state, wandering aimlessly and certainly not in search of Relena. His eyes glimmered to life a bit when Quatre appeared, but he looked anything but _content._ "Quatre..." he muttered, a weak tone fading to nothing. 

"I think I found Relena," Quatre stated, bluntly, "She screamed my name from up the hill but I knew I couldn't reach her in time if it was urgent, and I thought informing you wouldn't hurt." 

Trowa became silent because he simply didn't know how to respond. He didn't feel that his actions were under his control anymore, and he most definitely couldn't respond with anything of comfort. _Telling me **could** hurt. It could be the worst mistake you'll ever make. Or the best. _

Quatre must've seen the trepidation in his eyes, because for the first time, he hinted that he was completely aware of the situation. "You didn't harm her, did you?" he inquired, innocently. 

It was a naive question, so simple yet so complex. The answer, however, came out easily, "No." Trowa was unsure of whether or not that was what he truly believed or what he had decided to say based on the expectations of the little Arabian. He hadn't really hurt her. He had just watched and associated. Quatre was guilty of the same crime for knowing ahead of time and ignoring the situation, wasn't he? Trowa didn't realize how steadily he was walking, or how much he didn't want to see Relena, dead **or** alive. 

Quatre stopped, dead in his tracks. He forced a smile, crippled as it was. "I trust you, then," he whispered. 

--

Duo started back to the beach house as soon as he took care of Relena, panicking with thoughts of how to erase the event from everyone's suspicions. For now, she'd continue to be lost, according to Quatre, Heero, and Wufei. 

It had been difficult easing his way towards Relena on the cliff, so the easiest way down was to edge along the grass, half sliding. He paused, hesitantly. He had a mess to clean up, the intricate details. Fingerprints weren't an issue because his dominant right hand had been injured, and before it was bandaged, he took careful use in using gloves. He could replace the sheets on her bed with plain white sheets. Nobody would know the difference. He'd clean the window, take a shower, and there would be nothing out of place save the absence of miss darling Relena. 

--

Wufei and Heero drove silently after an hour of trouble in purchasing a rental car. There had been a mess of papers and sources of identification, all of which had Heero getting visibly more restless by the minute. The dealership owner warned them of an approaching hurricane, and the proof now loomed in the heavy, dark clouds encompassing the sky. Just as Wufei had exited into the pitch-black course, where headlights were his only source of vision, it began to pour. 

"Why are we doing this?" Wufei demanded to know. He was irritated. A few hours ago, Heero was fine. Or, as _fine_ as Heero could get. Now he was traveling in the worst-case scenario, at five AM, and it would be nine AM before they even reached the shack. _Duo won't even be up yet. _

"I don't know," Heero managed to murmur. _I just want to be at ease. Tell me that things have cooled off in the past few days. _

Wufei shook his head, exhausted, and squinted at the street signs. He could hardly read them. He pulled the jeep over to the side of the road, though he was sure he could stop in the middle without any trouble from passing cars. He hadn't seen any so far. 

"What are you doing?" Heero questioned, nervously. 

Wufei retrieved a cellular phone from his suitcase and handed it to Heero. "I want you to call and ask them for directions. I can't see a thing out here and we haven't got a map." 

_Pay no attention to the time of day._ The sun might have been visible beyond the sea by now if it weren't for the weather. Heero obeyed, solemnly. It rang once. Twice. 

--

"Hello?" The voice was out of breath and slightly grave on the other end. 

"Trowa," Heero said, blankly. It was meant to be a question, but it came out more of a statement. He was praying it was anybody but Duo. 

"No, this is Duo." The irony of it all. This time, his voice sounded cheerful; composed, "Is that you, Heero? How's your leg?"

"Broken." Half of him was relieved that Duo sounded like himself again. He could forget who was to blame for his leg. But his conscious wanted to verify something more. "Is Relena okay?"

There was silence from the other end. Moments passed. "She's...missing." It pained Duo to say that again, but for now it would have to do. Everything had gone out of control and he hadn't had time to come up with a new plan. Until then, he'd have to repeat it, over and over, and by the second time, it had already become a weak excuse. 

"What do you mean _she's missing_?" He was disbelieving, of course, but it seemed...expected. He needed time to thaw. 

"Quatre and Trowa are out looking for her. I'm here in case she returns. Don't worry. I'm sure she'll turn up." Lie, lie, lie. He felt utterly fake, and it was the worst with Heero. It was easier to break up the truth on the phone than in person, he was sure. But lying to Heero was a great deal more difficult than anyone else. 

"Why would she run away?" Heero continued. His eyes met Wufei, who was hardly paying attention and growing impatient from loss of sleep. 

"...I don't know. She doesn't like me, you know." Duo chose his words tactfully. The story would be more believable if it was revealed little by little. He'd let Heero notice his hand when he got to the beach house. By then, maybe everything would be taken care of.

"Hn," Heero replied. He had spoken as much as he desired to for one night. He passed the cell phone to Wufei, who wanted nothing but directions. 

--

It took Quatre and Trowa double the amount of time to reach the top of the cliff in the downpour, and by then, any trace of footprints had been washed away. Quatre frowned. 

"She's gone," Trowa insinuated. He'd grown weary, blocking the terrors from his mind with the constant reminder that he was as guilty as everyone but Heero and Relena for knowing about the occurrence. 

Quatre didn't reply. He kneeled in the rocky formation and let the rain descend. He was cold, heavy-eyed, and felt deceived. _No, she isn't gone. She's a princess. She engraved in the lives of thousands. And, Duo will understand sooner or later that she can't be erased from memory that easily._

"Let's head back," Trowa requested. 

"Go ahead. I...want to think about this for a minute or two." 

"It's raining." He studied the sky, booming with deafening thunder. "Don't stay too long."

-- 

Duo was in the shower by the time Trowa reached the beach house, and any sign of an attempted murder had disappeared. The stairs were damp, as he had taken a wet sponge to it, and the sheets were stripped off Relena's bed. _You almost forgot that, Duo._ Monotonously, he withdrew some sheets from the closet. They were red and blue plaid, but they wouldn't be visible beneath the pink, fluffy comforter. 

After he finished tucking the last bit of blanket in, he stepped in the bathroom, full of thick, white fog. He closed the door. "You found her..." he mumbled. 

Duo didn't have to peer through the curtains to know who it was. "I know her better than anyone," he replied, "She would be the only prey jumping up and down, waving her arms, and screaming."

"And that doesn't bother you at all?" Trowa leaned over and ran his hands through his hair. Every fiber of him ached with raw guiltiness. 

"No. What bothers me is that I don't know what to do now... I don't know what to do with **her**." He twisted the two knobs, turning off the shower. 

Trowa was now in a state of visible consternation. He stared off into oblivion, calculating each of Duo's words, trying to understand their meaning. _Did Duo not get rid of the body?_ "What to do with her?" 

"You know," Duo hissed, "I thought it would be so easy, but... Now I don't know what to do with her! She's out in the woods, near the beach, but she isn't... I didn't... When Quatre returns, I have to go back. I have to finish this."

--

Later that morning, around eight AM, the hurricane reduced to simple, heavy rain that, at its worst, could leak through the ceiling of a shack. Trowa had fallen asleep on the couch and Duo, who would normally be engaged in the same action, was making pancakes, trying to work off his nervous energy. In an hour, Heero and Wufei would arrive. It was beginning to bother Duo that Quatre still hadn't returned. 

He scribbled a note to Trowa and started down the beach, unable to let the idea rest in his conscience any further. The sand was deep and swallowed his feet, slowing him down. _Q, if you went looking for her in that water, you'd probably drown._ He crossed his fingers that the boy was just lost in the bay somewhere, unharmed. 

Fifteen minutes later, he stared up the cliff to find Quatre, a muddy mass of cuts and bruises, sprawled downward on the slope below the overhang. Panicked, he shook him by the shoulders, trying to revive some life as he wiped the mud from his face. "What the hell were you doing?" he screamed at him, clearly upset. _You could've killed yourself. _

Quatre blinked weakly and stared at Duo. "I fell down," He whispered, "Your eyes...they're back..." Shivering, he fell out cold. 

--

Wufei and Heero pulled into the drive in front of the house, opening umbrellas as the doors flew open. Smoke clouded the windows. "Go ahead," Heero ordered, as Wufei started to help him out of the car, "Check what's burning."

The Chinese boy darted into the house, spotting badly overcooked pancakes on the stove and a note. He flipped the switch on the stove, shuffled the skillet in the sink, and ran water over it. Opening windows to let the dark, puffy smoke out, he read the note:

"I went looking for Quatre," he muttered, coughing between words. 

Heero read over his shoulder, unnoticeable till he snatched the paper from Wufei's hands and lost all the blood in his face. "No..."

"What's wrong?" Wufei inquired, urgently, "You said they were searching for Relena. I bet Quatre got lost along the way."

Heero dropped the note, rushing out the door and around the house. Terror ran through his mind. Genuine fear. In the distance, he saw Duo carrying Quatre. Anger shifted in his veins, and he found himself running, despite the hurt leg that ached with vehement intensity. 

"Why'd you hurt him, huh Duo?" Heero screamed, pushing the braided boy over into the grainy sand, "Why did you hurt Quatre? Because he's the weaker person?! My inclination was to think, when you threatened that you'd hurt someone, it'd be Relena. How could you..." He glanced vaguely for visible wounds on the blonde before he threw Quatre over his own shoulder, staring at Duo with those cobalt blue eyes of his. Malicious, blue eyes. 

Duo shook his head, "I didn't..." Heero had it all wrong... Then, it struck him. If Heero thought he wounded Quatre rather than Relena, it would give him some time. Quatre would tell him the truth when he woke up, tell Heero that it wasn't Duo, but for now create just the distraction he needed. He stood, indignant as he was by the lie he'd create, and forced the words, "You're right. But you'll have to stick to the story. Tell the others he fell down the cliff looking for Relena." He stood and dusted the morsels of sand off his palms, a difficult task when they were so clammy. 

"No," Heero spat, bitterly. 

"If you tell them what really happened, I'll reveal something you really don't want them to know," he stated, "I'll expose that deep, dark secret." He smirked, an actor at his best. _You could never tell a lie, right? You just did. A barrier broken through._ And it felt terrible. He knew he'd been doing so much of this lately; that there'd be more to come in the near and distant future. 

Heero looked away. _You win._ He bit his lip. 

"Take care of Quatre. He'll be fine," Duo explained as he turned back towards the woods that ran along the beach. 

_What are you gaining from this, Duo? Why Quatre?_ Heero squinted in the rain, holding back uncontrollable tears, which seemed to sting his eye so badly. He hated being a puppet to Duo like this. _There was nothing I could do for him...nothing._ Yet, he felt as if it were his fault.   
  


To be continued... 


End file.
